In Re JM

5 A.3d 323, 2010 WL 3294307
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in In Re JM. Read the opinion of the Court — 2012 Pa. Super. 81
Superior Court of Pennsylvania·Decided August 23, 2010·No. 2072 MDA 2009·Published

Opinion

5 A.3d 323 (2010)

In the Interest of J.M., a Minor, Appellant.

No. 2072 MDA 2009

Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

Submitted June 28, 2010.
Filed August 23, 2010.

Juliette M. Zaengle, Public Defender, for appellant.

Magan Ryland-Tanner, Asst. Dist. Atty., for Com., appellee.

*324 BEFORE: BENDER, SHOGAN and CLELAND [*], JJ.

OPINION BY BENDER, J.:

Appellant, J.M., appeals from the order renewing his involuntary commitment for inpatient treatment for potentially sexually violent behavior in accordance with 42 Pa. C.S. § 6404.[1] J.M. contends that the evidence was insufficient to support his recommitment and that a plan for his discharge was not formulated in accordance with section 6406(c). We affirm.

In October of 2003, a juvenile petition was filed alleging that J.M. committed rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (IDSI), aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, and statutory sexual assault. J.M.'s younger sister was the alleged victim of these crimes. On October 31, 2003, J.M. was adjudicated delinquent of the charges of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, and statutory sexual assault. The disposition of the remaining charges was deferred. J.M. was placed in the sex offenders program at the New Castle Youth Development Center.[2] On March 24, 2005, J.M. was transferred to Safeguards Foster Care Program where he disclosed many aspects of his sexual history which he had previously hidden. On May 22, 2006, J.M. was adjudicated delinquent of the remaining charges of rape and IDSI. He was placed at Cove PREP Treatment Facility for Adolescent Sexual Offenders.

On July 27, 2007, J.M. was referred to the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board (SOAB), pursuant to Act 21, to determine whether he should be involuntarily committed for further treatment. "A person may be subject to court-ordered commitment for involuntary treatment under [Act 21] if the person:"

(1) Has been adjudicated delinquent for an act of sexual violence which if committed by an adult would be a violation of 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3121 (relating to rape), 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse), 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault), 3125 (relating to aggravated indecent assault), 3126 (relating to indecent assault) or 4302 (relating to incest).
(2) Has been committed to an institution or other facility pursuant to section 6352 (relating to disposition of delinquent child) and remains in the institution or other facility upon attaining 20 years of age.
(3) Is in need of involuntary treatment due to a mental abnormality or personality disorder which results in serious difficulty in controlling sexually violent behavior that makes the person likely to engage in an act of sexual violence.

42 Pa.C.S. § 6403(a). Once it is determined that a person meets the first two requirements of section 6403(a), the SOAB is charged with assessing whether that individual "is in need of commitment for involuntary treatment due to a mental abnormality.. . or a personality disorder, either of which results in serious difficulty in controlling sexually violent behavior." 42 Pa.C.S. § 6358(a), (c).

Under Act 21, if this assessment concludes that the person is "in need of involuntary treatment," and the court *325 concludes that a prima facie case has been presented, the court is to order that a petition be filed by the county solicitor or designee indicating that the person has met the three requirements of Section 6403(a) outlined above and should be involuntarily committed. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6403(b)(1). After the filing of the petition, the court is required to hold a hearing at which the person has the right to appointed counsel if the person cannot afford counsel. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6403(b)(3). The person also has the right to be assisted by an expert in this field, and if he or she cannot afford one, the court will pay for one. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6403(b)(4).
. . .
At the hearing, it is the Commonwealth that bears the burden of proof of showing by clear and convincing evidence that "the person has a mental abnormality or personality disorder which results in serious difficulty in controlling sexually violent behavior that makes the person likely to engage in an act of sexual violence." 42 Pa.C.S. § 6403(d) [(emphasis omitted)]. If the Commonwealth meets this burden, the court is to enter an order committing the person to inpatient treatment for a period of one year. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 6404(a).

In re A.C., 991 A.2d 884, 888-89 (Pa.Super.2010).

In J.M.'s case, on June 20, 2008, the court determined that a prima facie case had been established and concluded that J.M. was in need of involuntary commitment under the provisions of Act 21. A petition for involuntary treatment was filed on November 5, 2008, and a hearing was held on that petition on November 17, 2008. The court subsequently found that the Commonwealth had presented clear and convincing evidence that J.M. suffered from pedophilia which caused him to have serious difficulty controlling sexually violent behavior. See Juvenile Court Order, 11/21/08, at 1. The court also determined that, if released, J.M. would likely engage in acts of sexual violence. Id. Thus, the court ordered that J.M. be committed for involuntary treatment at Torrance State Hospital. J.M. did not appeal that order and began his year of treatment at Torrance.

On November 10, 2009, the court conducted a statutorily mandated annual review of J.M.'s involuntary commitment in accordance with 42 Pa.C.S. 6404(b)(2), which states:

The court shall schedule a review hearing which shall be conducted pursuant to section 6403(c) (relating to court-ordered involuntary treatment)[[3]] and which shall be held no later than 30 days after receipt of both the evaluation and the assessment under paragraph (1). Notice of the review hearing shall be provided to the person, the attorney who represented the person at the previous hearing held pursuant to this subsection or section 6403, the district attorney and the county solicitor or a designee. The person and the person's attorney shall also be provided with written notice advising *326 that the person has the right to counsel and that, if he cannot afford one, counsel shall be appointed for the person. If the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the person continues to have serious difficulty controlling sexually violent behavior due to a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in an act of sexual violence, the court shall order an additional period of involuntary treatment of one year; otherwise, the court shall order the discharge of the person. The order shall be in writing and shall be consistent with the protection of the public safety and appropriate control, care and treatment of the person.

Id. (emphasis added).

At J.M.'s recommitment hearing, Dr. Robert M. Stein, the assessor for the SOAB, stated that, while J.M. had the mental abnormality of pedophilia, there was no "imminent risk" that he would commit another sexually violent act if released into the community. N.T. Act 21 Hearing, 11/10/09, at 9, 11. Dr. Stein concluded, therefore, that J.M. no longer met the criteria for commitment under Act 21. In support of his opinion, Dr. Stein explained:

[Dr.

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